Bringing Darkness From Above
by Echoing Fantasy
Summary: Sequel to A Hitman's Honor. Tsuna deals with his first assassin, and Reborn deals with the subsequent fallout of his godson's first kill. Oneshot.


_Bringing Darkness From Above_

_Sawada Tsunayoshi, Age 13_

When the day started off with a home invasion and blood on the floor, Tsuna knew something was not right in the world.

"_You know what to do if I'm not here and something happens, don't you?"_

He'd known for a long time – ever since he'd been able to talk and understand the complicated business that was the mafia, exactly – that some day, someone would try to paint a target on his back, either out of hatred for his father, or the hatred of Reborn. Both men were big movers and shakers in the dark world, after all, and while to many they might have seemed immortal, there were always people who would try to push the envelope and find new ways to hurt them.

The simplest (and most common way) was simply to kill or torture someone that would be close to them. And while Reborn and Iemitsu both did their best to keep their relationships hidden from the mafia world, they were still human beings, and thus incapable of having eyes on the back of their head.

"_No matter what happens, don't let yourself panic. Or if you do, don't let it overwhelm you. Control it. Force yourself to focus, to move. You'll die if you stand still. Do you understand, Tsuna?"_

Five-twenty in the morning was the time of the attack. These numbers imprinted themselves into Tsuna's mind as the sound of shattering glass and something hard hitting his bedroom floor woke him from a dead sleep. In a handful of seconds Reborn's training kicks in; he was on his feet and moving before his mind could catch up.

He saw his attacker in the window with a gun in his hand. He saw the shattered glass on the floor, blood marking the edges. He saw his attacker's bare hand shredded with red lines. He saw the curl of the man's lip as he reached down for the window lock, undoing it at the same time Tsuna pulled the key he had around his neck off and inserted it into the drawer, pulling it open in a quick motion and reaching inside for the weapon Reborn refused to let him be without.

At five twenty-six in Namimori, a gunshot rang out in the silence. A body dropped to the floor, blood creeping along from underneath it like a serpent. For a while, there was no sound, although the woman of the house had most certainly woken up. She was frozen, waiting for the sound of the victor to identify themselves so she could decide whether to lunge for the shotgun she had hiding in her closet.

At five twenty-seven, a phone call was made. A throwaway mobile phone, cheap and easy to get, was put up next to an ear as it rang. Oxygen was pulled in and out of the caller's lungs as they wait, a loud rush filling their mind now that the deed was done.

The owner of the number picked up on the third ring. _"Yes?"_

A gulp of breath, and then another, before the words were spilling out in a not-quite-calm tone. "_Padrino. _It's happened. It... It's happened." Pressing the heel of his hand to his eye, Tsuna attempted not to break down in tears. It was easier if he pretended there weren't two guns in the room along with a body, one of which he was still holding.

"_Where are you." _It wasn't a question. Tsuna could hear the shuffling of cloth in the background, and knew Reborn was probably pulling himself out of bed. He felt bad for making his godfather get up so late, but knew he'd be more upset if Tsuna hadn't called at all. Besides, Tsuna didn't know what to do about the body.

"H-home, in my room. He came in through the window." He took a moment to catch his thoughts, forcing his body to slow down because if it didn't he would destroy himself before Reborn ever got there. "W-what should I do while I wait?"

"_Do you have the materials I told you to buy?"_

"Y-yes, downstairs in the locker."

"_Use those materials to wrap the body up, and clean the area like I showed you. Then have your mother help you get it down into the locker, and just sit tight. I'm booking the fastest flight I can, but it will still be a few hours. Lock your bedroom door and stay out of there until I get there, okay? And stay inside, away from the windows. Keep your gun on you. Don't let anybody inside, pretend like you aren't even there. Are you getting all this, Tsuna?"_

Tsuna nodded, then recalled Reborn couldn't see him over the phone. "Yeah. I've got it."

"_Good boy. Sit tight, figlioccio, I'll be there soon."_

The line went dead, and Tsuna closed the phone, shutting his eyes and drawing in a fortifying breath. He felt so weak, and honestly just wanted to sleep and forget everything, but he knew he couldn't. There was too much to do, both now and in the future. So he forced himself up into his knees, avoiding the sticky trail of dark liquid on his floorboards (that was going to be a bitch to get out) and turned to the window, closing it, locking it, and then reaching under his bed for the boards, hammer and nails.

After getting the broken window covered (it would be replaced later anyhow), he closed the blinds and went downstairs to get the materials from the training room slash basement. He forced himself not to think of anything but the objectives at hand as he did, and blissfully managed to hold back the rush of panic and tears that would be sure to come later, once Reborn had sorted all this out.

* * *

Even with the fastest jet available to him, Reborn's arrival to Namimori still takes six hours. The entire time Tsuna watched TV he normally wouldn't, programs mainly watched by little kids. Normally he'd be watching the drama shows Reborn got him into, but most of the drama deals with death and love interests and things that hit a little too close to home right then, so Tsuna reverted to kid's television and forced himself to pretend to not know which hole the square peg goes into, because he was five and not thirteen.

It workd, right up until the door opened, and both he and his mother jumped up, guns at the ready, until they realized it was only Reborn. Tsuna wavered, and then brokenly slumped back onto the couch. Reborn's mouth was set in a grim line, but he didn't immediately go to Tsuna like most would assume he would. Instead he went downstairs where the body was, and after a few minutes came back up and went to talk to Nana. Their words were lost on Tsuna, who was just drifting in and out of a haze, trying to keep his sanity together. It was finally starting to dawn on him that he killed someone, a man, who probably had a family in some form or another. Even if he'd been defending himself (there was no doubt the man intended harm) it was still technically murder, wasn't it?

The smell of coffee and freshly washed clothes came over him, and Tsuna reluctantly opened eyes he wasn't aware of even closing. Reborn was crouched in front of him, staring at him in the same way he did when they were training. It was an analyzing stare, taking in the facts as they were, filing them away for later use. Tsuna could already tell by the way his godfather's brow pinched itself together and his lips tilted that he looks worse than Reborn assumed he would. Somehow, that made him feel guilty.

"Sorry," he whispered, looking away. Or at least he would have, if Reborn's hand hadn't come up to drag his chin back around, facing those dark eyes.

"Don't apologize." It was a solid order, and the weight of it was something Tsuna could easily lean on, rest himself against for a bit, while this was all sorted out. "I need you to sit put while some people come over and put things back to rights around here, okay? They won't be here long."

"Yeah, okay. Um, I boarded up my window."

Reborn gave him one of those fond smiles that told him he did something right – if in a bit of an extreme manner. "Alright." He stood and walked up the stairs, a phone already in his hand. Tsuna closed his eyes and slumped further down onto the couch, the rush provided by the adrenaline finally dying off completely. One by one his limbs became invisible to him, simple pockets of air that didn't exist.

From far away he heard the door open and quiet footsteps come in. The sound of snapping wood was loud, but it didn't last long. Bit by bit Tsuna was dragged under the blanket of sleep, and the sounds gradually got further and further away until they simply weren't there anymore.

* * *

The sensation of long fingers stroking through his hair was what finally brought him out of his sleep; making an inquiring sound, Tsuna turned his face to find a muscled thigh under his cheek, and the familiar scents of his godfather washed over him, soothing him before the man himself had a chance to. Burying his nose in his godfather's leg, he inhaled and tried not to let the sudden quiver in his breathing give his state of mind away.

As with all things though, Reborn knew him only too well. Thankfully he didn't say anything as Tsuna's stress peaked and hot tears silently escaped the boy's eyes, dripping down onto the clothed leg. The hand in his hair moved to his back, sweeping up and down his spine in comforting motions. If Nana was around, she was off to the side or behind Tsuna where he couldn't see her.

He doubted she was though; the house lacked the cheery atmosphere it normally had whenever she was around. _But then again, she did just witness the emotional fallout of her son making his first kill. She's probably either asleep or out with her friends, trying to forget what happened._

The thought soured his emotions all over again. Fortunately, before they could clamp down on him again too tightly, Reborn spoke, voice low and calm. "You did well today, Tsunayoshi. I know you don't like thinking about it like I do, as a game of survival and chance, but its the truth. You fought the odds today, and you won."

Tsuna blinked tears out of his eyes, licked his dry lips and croaked out, "Yeah, but why did it have to be at the cost of another's life? The guy probably had a family waiting for him back home. What are they gonna think when they learn he's not coming back?"

Reborn heaved one of those silent sighs that he was so good at. "Those who join the mafia, or participate in assassinations for a living know the cost of doing their job, and doing it well. They know that someday, someone might get the lucky draw on them. Those that marry them usually know the same information, so yes, while its painful for his wife and children if he does indeed have them, they knew what he was getting into and what it could cost him."

His hand moved back up, reaching around to wipe the tears out of Tsuna's eyes. Tsuna let him, feeling too drained to do anything except lay there and let Reborn teach him this lesson. For a time they were both quiet, Tsuna absorbing the words like a balm for his invisible wounds and Reborn patiently waiting, ready to supply more should Tsuna's emotional state prove stubborn.

"Reborn?" Tsuna whispered.

"Hm?"

"Will... will this feeling ever go away? If I have to kill others, I mean? Your boss, h-he wants to make me Vongola Decimo, right? S-s-so that means that someday I'll have to do this again, i-if only for my own protection, right?"

Reborn was silent. On one hand, he had promised his godson he would never lie to him about these sorts of things. On the other though, Tsuna's already fragile emotional state probably wasn't suited for these kinds of questions right now. If Reborn pulled his punches, he might spare Tsuna and himself another crying fest, but he'd be going to sleep tonight knowing he kept important information from his godson – and in the world he was to inherit one day, wisdom and knowledge were two of the greatest weapons available to him.

In the end, what didn't kill or cripple him would make him stronger, Reborn reasoned. "Yes and no. If you're lucky, you'll have strong, willing Guardians around you who won't mind doing the dirty work for you. And if you're lucky, you'll have a proud, watchful _famiglia _that loves you enough to put themselves between you and a bullet or knife heading your way. But if not, if you find yourself facing these demons alone, you'll eventually become numb to it. You won't enjoy it, but you'll get used to seeing blood and gore and the like. It's not pretty, but..." He trailed off.

"It's the truth." Tsuna finished, "I understand." Sighing, he buried his face back in his godfather's leg, tears and sorrow all but dry. "Thank you, Reborn."

"Anytime, Tsuna."

* * *

**Omake: Gun Lessons**

_Sawada Tsunayoshi, Age 10_

"Reborn?"

"Hm?"

"Where are we going?"

Reborn glanced in the rear-view mirror at his godson, who sat quietly in the backseat of his anonymous black car, little legs kicking in the air. The boy didn't look scared, merely curious. "We're going to a shooting range."

Nana was here, as well. When Reborn had finally sat her and Tsuna down some weeks ago and explained in clear, crisp detail everything her husband did, would be doing, and the things Tsuna would have to go through in the future, she had been adamant on learning how to use a gun as well, in case Tsuna couldn't. Reborn didn't think it would come to that, though. He'd already seen signs of the boy's ability to stand up for himself with the right kind of encouragement – all it would take was a steady hand and a calm teacher to show him this, and he'd remember it, sure enough.

Fortunately, Reborn was just that kind of teacher.

"Oh," Tsuna said. He bit his lip in that way that told Reborn he still had questions to ask, but was afraid of overstepping his boundaries or upsetting his godfather with useless questions. It was a trait that pissed Reborn off, because the kid's _teachers _had taught that silence to him.

"If you've got questions, ask me, Tsunayoshi." He told the boy, putting just enough Spartan influence in his voice to make the kid shiver a bit. "You know I don't like being kept in the dark."

"...Are you gonna be the one teaching me how to shoot?" Tsuna asked, and the very slight strain behind his godson's words made Reborn want to choke something. No child should be afraid of his teachers, but he was. He walked on pins and needles around those pricks up at the school, afraid of getting scolded like so many of them seemed to enjoy doing. Reborn had been meaning to settle them, but time and again found himself called away to important missions, leaving Tsuna behind to face the adults alone.

So he looked his godson straight in the eye in the mirror and said, "_Yes. _I will be teaching you _and _Nana, Tsuna. No one else. You don't listen to anyone else, you don't have to talk or even _look _at anyone else, if you don't want to."

And there was that small, flickering smile creeping along Tsuna's face. It was a hopeful smile, he realized. "Really?"

"Really." Looking back to the road, Reborn smirked. "We're here."

He pulled into the small parking area, and found a nicely shaded spot in the corner away from everyone else. As he, Nana and Tsuna got out, a familiar face came out and approached them. Tsuna lit up like a Christmas tree upon seeing who it was.

"Uncle Colonnello!"

The blond grinned down at Tsuna, kneeling and extending his arms as Tsuna rushed over for a hug. Reborn would have felt jealous, except he got the same reaction from Tsuna everytime he came home too. Instead he smirked and looked up at the second person coming out the door, a familiar face to him. "Lal."

Tsuna was quick to let go of his uncle when he realized there was a scary woman scowling at him. Reborn watched, tongue in cheek, as Tsuna backed up until he was safely behind Nana and his own legs. Colonnello chuckled and straightened. "Tsuna, Nana, this is Lal, my teacher. She'll be overseeing the range today."

Lal was still glowering at Tsuna. Tsuna was starting to shake a little, and Reborn could feel the vibrations. Normally he wouldn't have condoned anyone glaring at his godson, but that was how Lal greeted everyone she didn't know, and how she would doubtlessly be greeting Tsuna in years to come. Better to let him get used to it now rather than later.

"Well, shall we go inside and get started? Nana, do you have any preferences?"

And so the four adults slipped inside, Tsuna pressed tightly against his godfather's legs, trying to avoid the eyes of that woman named Lal. Fortunately, once they actually got started with the shooting, Lal focused more on Nana than him, and Tsuna was able to comfortably sit down with Reborn and learn about his own gun.

Years later Tsuna would look fondly back on this memory and chuckle at his own shyness. And then he'd thank Reborn for putting up with him. Reborn would just smile and pat his head.

* * *

Author's Notes

**Padrino – **Godfather

**Figlioccio –** Godson

This originally started as Reborn teaching Tsuna how to use a gun and kind of jumped off-track from there.

And yes, once Tsuna was old enough to understand, he and Reborn sat down and Reborn let him ask whatever he wanted and answered him truthfully. So he knows about what Iemitsu actually does, and what's expected of him in a few years. Nana knows as well, because Reborn didn't want to leave her in the dark and neither did Tsuna. She was upset, but agreed to let Reborn show Tsuna how to use a gun for his own safety, because all of them knew that someday this _would _be likely to happen, however much Tsuna wished it wouldn't.

Lal didn't really talk to Tsuna during their introduction. Mainly because she'd heard a lot about "Tuna-fish" from Iemitsu, and even more about "Tsunayoshi" from Reborn, and wanted to make her own assumptions based off what she saw rather than what she heard from either of the other two.

She decided in the end he wasn't as weak as Iemitsu made him out to be, but he still had miles to go before he'd be perfect at anything, and set about making her own training center for him to run around in once he got used to her enough to ask for such things (which was about two years later, when Reborn started having to go overseas for missions more and Tsuna came to the shooting range by himself).


End file.
